+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| TPWD News Releases Dated 2011-09-06 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| This page contains only plain text, no HTML formatting codes. |
| It is not designed for display in a browser but for copying |
| and editing in whatever software you use to lay out pages. |
| To copy the text into an editing program: |
| --Display this page in your browser. |
| --Select all. |
| --Copy. |
| --Paste in a document in your editing program. |
| If you have any suggestions for improving these pages, send |
| an e-mail to webtech@tpwd.state.tx.us and mention Plain Text Pages. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
[ Note: This item is more than three years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ]
[ General Media Contact: Business Hours, 512-389-4406 ]
[ Additional Contacts: Rob McCorkle, TPWD, (830) 866-3533 or robert.mccorkle@tpwd.texas.gov; Park Supt. Donald Beard, TPWD, (806) 455-1492 or donald.beard@tpwd.texas.gov ]
Sept. 6, 2011
Texas State Bison Herd to Once Again Freely Roam the Caprock
Sept. 17 Restoration Celebration Slated at Caprock Canyons State Park
QUITAQUE - Eighty descendants of the great Southern Plains bison herd that numbered in the tens of millions in the mid-19th century will once again roam the range of their ancestors at Caprock Canyons State Park.
That means that for the first time since remnants of legendary Panhandle pioneer rancher Charles Goodnight's historic herd were introduced to the park in 1998, visitors will be able to have an up-close, Yellowstone-type encounter with the shaggy beasts. Up until now, the official state bison herd, confined to a 300-acre area of the park, could only be viewed from a considerable distance.
The bison's new range will consist of more than 700 acres of restored native grass prairie in front of the Visitor Center and on the north and south sides of Theo Lake, where they will be fenced off from the campgrounds and day use area, according to park superintendent Donald Beard, who notes the bison will be in a "semi-free-ranging state" inside a perimeter fence.
"This is first and foremost a restoration project," Beard says, "not an exhibit. We're not just showing the bison, but are restoring an indigenous animal to its native habitat. For park visitors, it will be just like experiencing deer, roadrunners or any other wildlife in the wild. But it's important to remember that the bison have the right-of-way and need to be given a large buffer zone."
An official ribbon cutting marking the completion of Phase I - the release of the bison into an expanded range -- is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 17 to kick off the Caprock Partners Foundation's Texas State Bison Herd Restoration Celebration. Weekend entry fees will be waived. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, living history exhibits, interactive displays and food and drink booths will be open. At noon, a $10 bison burger meal will be served, with proceeds going toward the bison restoration project.
Beard notes that when people drive into the park, they will be entering the bison's range so will have to stop to let them cross the road. New entry signs posted will warn visitors of the bison's presence and urge caution around the beasts that weigh up to 2,000 pounds. Rearview mirror-hanging park entry permits will remind motorists: "Warning: Bison are wild animals, do not approach."
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has made safety and education the watchwords for Phase I of the park's bison restoration project. At check-in, park customers will receive an informational brochure about the bison that reminds visitors to get no closer to the animals than 50 yards and to not feed or harass the bison. Any violation is a Class C misdemeanor and will be enforced.
Future phases of the bison project, which depend on adequate funding, have as the ultimate goal the restoration of the herd to the park's entire 15,000-acres.
The small Texas State Bison Herd is all that remains of the vast Southern Plains herd that prior to the 1870s numbered between 30 million and 60 million head. The American bison were almost totally wiped out when the last of the Plains Indians were driven from their homeland and the railroad brought hordes of buffalo hunters who slaughtered the animals for their meat, hides and horns.
The Goodnight Herd was one of the five foundation herds that supplied stock to save American bison from extinction and the only Southern Plains bison herd established. Caprock Canyons bison are the last descendants of the herd that supplied wild stock for Yellowstone National Park and some of the largest zoos and ranches in the nation. The bison donated to the state by JA Ranch owners Monte Ritchie and Ninia Bivins were sent to Caprock Canyons and genetically tested. TPWD kept only those which had no cattle DNA.
Through continued study and genetic mapping of the Texas State Bison Herd, researchers have isolated three unique genetic markers in their DNA. Found only in the Goodnight Herd descendants, presence of these genes supports the claim that these animals are all that remain of the Southern Plains subspecies and are separate from Northern Plains and Woods bison subspecies.
Concerned about an increasing high newborn mortality rate within the captive Texas herd, TPWD wildlife biologists have over the years brought in new bison bulls from out of state to introduce new DNA. Park officials and geneticists believe greater genetic diversity will result in a larger and healthier herd.
Caprock Canyons State Park is located about 50 miles northeast of Plainview on FM 1065 approximately 4 miles north of State Highway 86. For more information, call (806) 455-1492 or visit the TPWD Website.
---
On the Net:
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/caprock_canyons/
See the Caprock Canyons bison on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/TexasParksWildlife#p/c/23/dSHwODH1QTs
News images: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/news_images/?g=pom_caprock_canyons_sp
More news images: http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/newsmedia/news_images/?g=ie_caprock_canyons_sp
-30-
[ Note: This item is more than three years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references. ]
[ Media Contact: Mike Cox, 512-389-8046, mike.cox@tpwd.texas.gov ]
Sept. 6, 2011
Wildfires Consuming Bastrop State Park
BASTROP, Texas - Despite earlier optimism, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department firefighters and other personnel were still facing a fire threat to historic structures at Bastrop State Park today.
According to TPWD incident commander Robert Crossman, all but about 100 acres of the 6,000-acre park have been blackened by fire, but firefighters have so far been able to save most of the Civilian Conservation Corps-constructed structures on the park, with two possible exceptions - two CCC observation structures believed to have been damaged.
"We still have critical fire behavior threatening the CCC cabins," Crossman said. He said firefighters, assisted by newly arrived federal firefighters, dealt with two flare-ups at the park overnight, one at midnight and the other at 5 a.m. today. Firefighters are using heavy equipment, much of it provided by donors who responded to a TPWD call for assistance, and water trucks to build fire breaks and saturate the ground around the historic structures. Among those providing immediate assistance include: Holt Cat, Comanche Ranch, Jimmy Evans Construction, Ranger Excavating and Al Niece Equipment.
"The outpouring of support from these companies has been nothing short of extraordinary," said Carter Smith, TPWD executive director. "Without hesitation, they sent over heavy equipment, machinery and operators, and water tanks to aid our firefighters on site. These resources have been indispensible."
TPWD has about 75-plus personnel responding to wildfires in the Bastrop area, including state park firefighters, parks police and game wardens.
The fire has damaged the regional state park headquarters on State Highway 71, about four miles from the park. In addition, several TPWD employees lost their homes in Bastrop County. Some TPWD vehicles and other equipment were also destroyed.
State parks officials are still planning to make an all-out effort to save historic structures on the park, many of which were constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps.
"Much of Bastrop State Park has been burned and our firefighters have once again shown their mettle with incredible effort to save the historic district of this National Historic Landmark," said State Parks Director Brent Leisure, whose home and that of Buescher State Park superintendent Cullen Sartor were among those destroyed by the fire. "Countless homes have been saved. Despite the outstanding effort, this fire has outstripped our capabilities to protect all things."
While Bastrop State Park and nearby Buescher State Park are closed, all other area parks remain open, including nearby Palmetto State Park and Monument Hill State Historic Site.
Park officials are also concerned about threats to the endangered Houston toad. The 124,000-acre Lost Pines area of Bastrop County, which includes the state park, is home to the largest known population of the small, reclusive amphibians in the U.S.
Leisure said the toad has already been stressed by the ongoing drought and loss of habitat caused by wildfires will likely impact the toad further.
-30-